Alleged Smugglers To Appear In Court

January 14, 1986|By Fred Lowery, Staff Writer

Two South Florida men are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Ann Vitunac today on charges of participating in a multimillion-dollar marijuana smuggling ring operated between October 1977 and December 1982.

They are among eight men, including two already serving time in federal prison, named in an indictment handed up on Thursday by a federal grand jury in West Palm Beach.

The indictment, opened Friday, also claimed the $3.5 million Manatee Resort and Marina in Port Salerno and two Martin County restaurants were used by the group to launder profits and otherwise conceal funds from the operation.

James Anthony ``Doc`` Davis, 34, of Fort Lauderdale, and John David Sachs, 39, of Stuart, are scheduled to appear before Vitunac today.

The 13-count indictment charges the group with smuggling more than 118,000 pounds of marijuana out of Colombia and into the Bahamas or the United States.

Named as the leader of the ring was William David Keen, also known as Bill Williams and Bill Trippodo. He is currently serving a five-year federal prison term in Milan, Mich., in connection with a 1984 smuggling conviction.

According to the indictment, Keen purchased the resort and marina complex through Atlantic Coast Investments Inc., on Aug. 29, 1979, for $1 million.

The resort was seized in a separate, civil action in July, but U.S. District Judge Jose Gonzalez subsequently ordered it returned to its owners.

Also named in the indictment and already in custody were William Carroll Ochs, 36, of Valrico in Martin County, arrested Friday in Tampa; and Jack Edwards, 42, currently serving time on a federal drug conviction at Maxwell Air Force Base, in Montgomery, Ala.

Named in the indictment but still at large are Robert Augustus Slover, 36, of Vero Beach; Carl Herman Sierman, 49, of Port St. Lucie; and Jan James Stickel, 42, whose address was unavailable.

In addition to the Martin County real estate and the investment firm, the indictment calls for the confiscation of three boats purchased during the time the ring was operating, along with several vehicles allegedly purchased with drug proceeds.